Today is a new day....

I have been away from blogging and sewing for awhile now.  First we were preparing for my daughter's wedding in October.  It was a perfect beautiful wedding.  Then her life was turned upside down when he told her less than a month later he did not want to be married....that he had made a mistake.  My heart hurts for her.  If I could take her pain away, I would.  They dated over 6 years and never in our wildest dreams did we think she would be going through this.  Our family is big and we are surrounding her with all of our love.  Please keep her in your prayers!
Today is the first day in over a month that I've taken the time to enjoy your blogs and hope to get going on some Christmas projects I had planned to make.

I WON!!!!!!!!

I actually won a giveaway over at http://crazyboutquilts.blogspot.com/ I get to have quilting done for 1/2 price!!!!!  Go check out her sweet blog and it will also lead you to the price list which is already such a sweet deal!!!  I recently finished a Take Five and will send it off .......HOORAY!  Sorry no picture yet, but one will surely be on the way for a before and after.  Till next time, Kathy

Ready Set Go

Tonight was my first FNSI and at 8:30 pm tonight I was all set and ready to stitch away!  At 11:30 tonight I realized I was missing a block and had to come up with one...UGH!  Tomorrow is my daughters wedding shower and I am going to have the blocks in a cute little red tin for her to finally get to view them.  Then it's back to the machine and get that all the sashing done.

Getting ready for FNSI

For the next two days I have to attend a trauma course, so everything's on hold 'till Friday night when I get to participate in the FNSI.  This is a sneak peak at adding some trim to one of my blocks.  I'm so excited about using the bliss line for my daughter's quilt for her wedding.  Once I add the rest of the trims on Friday night, I'll post pictures!  Till next time, Kathy

FNSI and a sneak peak coming up

I am a 1st timer for FNSI (click on the FNSI button on the right or click on  http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/  and come join the fun).  I am so excited since I am working on a ton of things.  All the blocks are finally finished for my daughter's quilt and if I can get that battery charged tonight, pictures will be posted tomorrow...HOORAY!  I am also working on a small banner for her candy bar, small table runners for the reception table and a ring bearer pillow!  Oh. My. Gosh.  I think I'm hyperventilating just thinking about my to do list.  Don't forget to click on the FNSI button and join!!!  It's going to be fun.  Till next time, Kathy

Exciting changes in the wind.....

With prayerful thought, I made the decision to step down from nursing management and go back to emergency nursing!  I love being a nurse and am looking forward to only working three 12 hour shifts.  This past year has been very busy in our home....from my twin boys graduating high school, my daughter graduating college and about to be married in October and also working every day with the responsibility of 24/7 call for my department I had absolutely NO time for quilting or blogging.  So if you haven't already figured out, I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!!  I took some pictures of a few of the quilt blocks for my daughters quilt (one of her wedding gifts), but since my camera battery was dead I used my cell phone and the quality was awful....Maybe tomorrow I will get some pictures up.  Her colors are aqua blue and red, so I used the Bliss line and am really happy at how it's turning out.  Till next time (which is gonna be a whole lot more often now),  Kathy

Sweet and Sassy at 103

This sweet and sassy woman is my hubby's Nana and she REALLY is 103.  We had a sweet birthday party with all of the family....life is good when we all get together!  Nana kept all of our kids, taught them how to crochet, sew, cook and play cards before they started school.  She taught them when they played boardgames it wasn't nice to make them go back "home" (like Sorry or Wahoo) and if you argued about sending them home they had to put the game away!  Before the awful Rheumatoid attached her hands, she would crochet all us granddaughters (in-law granddaughter included) pot holders, made us all a nut cake for Christmas and made patterns for clothes out of newspaper.  She calls everyone in the family by a nickname and cooked Sunday dinner up until 10 years ago for at least 30 people.  It was always fried chicken, dressing, beans, rolls and home made desserts.....Funny part of that when I would tell her, "Nana we won't be here next Sunday, we're going to my mother's for dinner."  She would reply, "Dollie (that's what she calls me) your mama knows there are six other days she can cook dinner.  She knows I cook dinner on Sunday."  Yes we would stand Nana up and go to my parents from time to time for Sunday dinner but it wasn't without a little scold from her.   Nana made my mama some of the potholders and my mama still uses them.  This woman is an amazing woman and I am thankful   for the 28 years I've known her.  She has been such an inspiration to me!  I am an ER nurse and I see what age does to people.  God has been so good to her.

Tomorrow I plan working on some projects going on in the studio and hope to show some pics soon! My daughter asked me to make a ring bearer pillow for her wedding and I'm so excited to do this!  I also am covering a cork board for my sewing room...its red and white polka dots!  Stay tuned, pictures on the way soon!  Till next time, Kathy

Love me some antiques....

My last post which was way too long ago I showed you my treasures from my Granny's sewing room....well I happened to be at a little resale shop in my home town and stumbled across this old toy sewing machine.  Since I love antiques and I happen to LOVE the color red I couldn't resist!!!  My sister asked me to go shopping this weekend and I actually said no way.....I have the itch to stitch! My blogging habits are not as well as some of the great blogs I follow, but just so you know, if I'm not posting everyday, I'm peeking in at yours everyday :)

Since we're not freezing here in Texas, I plan to spend the day in my studio Saturday! Mind you, my studio has heat, but it was just walking across the yard to get there....If I haven't said this in the past, I wish I could work part time and sew full time. Oh the things I would have time to make......Till next time, Kathy

Things I adore.....

When I was a little girl, I would sit at a card table with my Granny and we would make all kinds of crafts.  She made quilts for all of us grandkids, of course all by hand.  She tried to teach me to sew and other needle crafts, but I couldn't get the hang of it...she was a lefty and I'm a righty! I spent hours at a time making dolls, beadwork, and Christmas ornaments.  I remember playing in her compartments of beads, sequins, and paints.  She passed away in 2005.  My parents still have her old farmhouse and from time to time me and my sister all get together there.  My mama has tried and tried to get me to take some of her things to my house and I finally felt like it was okay and my Granny would want me to have them.  I am displaying some of her things in my sewing room and want to share my treasures with you.  I filled these jars with old buttons, cards of needles, clothes pins, wooden spools and some beads.  The green plastic sewing box is one of many she had and I love her old pin cushion and her thimbles  The wooden case shaped like chapstick is a needle box.  The embroidery work was what she was working on when she had her stroke.  My mom wants me to finish it, but I think I will leave it just as she left it.  Also my parents wanted me to have her old singer pedal foot sewing machine that still works, but I didn't have the room to bring it home yet.  I will always cherish my memories of our good times shared and now when I am sitting in my sewing chair, a part of her is sitting there with me.  Until next time, Kathy.

There's a wedding to plan....

My daughter is now officially engaged!  She and I attended the Bridal Extravaganza in Houston and for those that attend the International Quilt Festival, I must say this was just as overwhelming!  It was so fun and amazing! There were so many cakes and did I mention tasting??? Delicious!!! We saw photographers, venue choices, invitations, honeymoon options, decorations, ..... you name it and it was there.  This is very exciting for her and although I am excited I have to admit I am .... What am I?  I'm not sad, not upset, not disappointed, .... I think I'm not ready for her to be a grown up. (She is 23 and we have been close all of those years.)

I am going to make her a memory quilt with embroidery family names.  Tonight as I was binding a quilt, I had to stop to look at my stash to see what I have and what I'm going to need.  I think my check off list of what I wanted to finish has just been changed, LOL.  Here are some blocks I've made in the past for wedding gifts.  Hope you enjoy!  Kathy

It's a Giveaway!!!!

Head on over to http://greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com/ for a chance at a sweet giveaway!!! I recently found this blog and enjoy the newsletters I receive....not to mention I am going to love shopping there!!!
Today was a sweet family day with most of my aunts, uncles, and cousins were there.
Looking ahead at this new year, I am setting some goals to finish some UFO's by starting tomorrow!  The 1st on the list simply needs binding.  Have I mentioned in the past that I strongly dislike binding....well I do.  I wonder why that is?  It seems like I would love to bind it up and have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.  But.....I don't and my work sits there as I procrastinate.  Does anyone else have this same problem???

Here is a list of my to do list for January: (Remember I'm full time employed, a mama, a wife, a daughter and a granddaughter......see I already have excuses, hehehe!)
1.  Bind a quilt that I abandoned over a year ago.
2.  Finish my Take 5...the blocks just need to be put together and send out for quilting.
3.  Start and finish at least 10 fabric Valentine's!!! (I really want to make this 1st....but I am going to have will power and stay focused on my plan)

Till next time!  Kathy